Dump door operating mechanism



June 9, 1953 G. a. DOREY DUMP DOOR OPERATING MECHANISM 4 Sheets-Sheet lFiled Dec. 29,, 1950 a a ca 6) IN V EN TOR.

I Ur I I I I l June- 9, 1953 G. B. DOREY DUMP DOOR OPERATING MECHANISMFil ed Dec. 29, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jne 1953 G. B. DOREY DUMP DQOROPERATING MEcHANisM 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Dec. 29, 1950 INVENTGR. 660/@5110) BY 9 (2y I I I r I June 9 1953 G. B. DOREY 2,641,200

DUMP DOOR OPERATING MECHANISM Filed Dec. 29, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 4MINVENTOR.

sumed bythe mechanism;

Patented June 9, 1953 DUMP DOOR OPERATING MECHANISM GeorgeB. Dorey,Montreal, Quebec, Canada, as Signor to Enterprise Railway EquipmentCompany, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application December29, 1950, Serial-No. 203,407

10 Claims. (01. 105-9309) 1 Thi invention relates to a, dump doormechanism for supporting the swinging edge of a pivotally mounted doorof the type which is adapted to be lifted from its open position to apartially closed position and automatically latched in such partiallyclosed position with provision for raising the door from said partiallyclosed to a fully closed position by operation of the mechanism. Theobjects of the invention among others are: To provide a latch mechanismwhich when in released position is biased to lie in the path of movementof the door with provision for outward displacement of the mechanism bymovement of the door together with provision for the subsequent returnof the latch to supporting. position beneath the door; to provide amechanism which in release position is freely swingable toward and awayfrom the swinging edge of the door to engage with and support the doorin partially closed position and which mechanism is movable to force thedoor to fully closed position and in which position it is maintainedagainst swinging movement; and more specifically to provide a jack-knifefolding type of linkage mechanism which in its folded position operatesas a closed toggle mechanism and when in open position operates as afreely swinging latch member.

The invention also resides in the details of construction concerned withthe mechanism supporting bracket and related structure employed to carryout the objects of the invention.

For further comprehension of the invention reference may be had to theaccompanying drawings wherein:

Figure l is a side elevational view of a portion of a dump car showingas much of the car as necessary to illustrate a discharge opening withone door and the improved mechanism applied thereto, the door beingshown in closed position;

Figure 2 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken on a line 2-2 ofFigure 1 and showing the door in closed position with the mechanism insupporting position beneath the door and the door shown in openpositionby conventional dot and dash lines; I i V Figure 3 is a view similar toFigure 2 except that the mechanism is shown in fully released positionwith the door in open position. D

Figure 4 is a view showing the outer portion of the structure of Figure2 except that the door is shown in the position where contact isestablished between the inclined striker surface of the door andlatching mechanism, the latter being shown in the pendanttreleasedposition normally as- Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4 except thatthe lifting movement of the door has advanced to show the mechanism asdisplaced outwardly beyond the path of movement of the door;

' Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 5 exceptthat the door liftingmovement has progressed to the stage where the supporting shaft hasmoved to a supporting position beneath the door;

Figure 7 is a vertical elevational view on an enlarged scale of themechanism during the lifting operation as the shaft enters the retainingslot;

Figure 8 is a detailed longitudinal side View of the shaft assembly;

Figure 9 is an end View of the structure shown in Figure 8 as viewedfrom left to right;

Figure 10 is a side elevational view of the supporting bracket on anenlarged scale;

Figure 11 is a vertical end view of the bracket shown in Figure lOasviewed from left to right;

Figure 12 is a detailed elevational view of one of the swinging links;

Figure 13 is a vertical end View of the link shown in Figure 12 asviewed from left to right;

7 Figure 14 is a vertical section taken through the outer end of thedoor and mechanism as seen on a line l4-|4 of Figure 2 and illustratingthe operating handle. I

, In said drawings the improved structure is shown as applied to thedoor of a fiat bottom gondola car and the drawings illustrate so much ofthe car as necessary to show one door and its associated car structure.Referring to Figures 1 and 2 the car construction includes alongitudinally extending center sill I0 of box girder constructionincluding a vertical web I I, having top and bottom angles as indicatedat [2 and 13 respectively and a top cover plate M. Extending laterallyfrom the center sill in spaced relation are crossbeams, one being shownat [5, each formed with a diaphragm l6 and a top and a bottom coverplate indicated at I! and I8 respectively. Rising vertically from eachend of the. crossbeam is a' side stake l9 which'connects with thesidewall designated'in this instance by a lower angle 2! and a sidesheet 2|. The angle 20 includes a horizontally extending flange 22 and avertically extending flange 23, the former being overlappingly relatedwith the crossbeam top plate H. The edge of the bottom flange 22 of theside angle 20 in combination with the inner edges of the crossbeam topplates l1 and the edge of the center sill top plate l4 defines adischarge opening 24. t

Positioned in the discharge opening 2 4 is a dump door which is extendedto underlie the plates defining the discharge opening. Said door 25includes a fiat plate 26 having its margins reinforced by flanges asindicated at the sides at 21--2'| and at the rear and front edges asindicated at 28 and 29 respectively. The underside of the door isfurther reinforced by Z-shaped hinge beams30 extending from thehingeedge to the swinging edge of the door and having one flange 3| rivetedto the door with the web 32 outstanding from the door plate and theopposite flange 33 spaced from the (1001311318138. The door is furtherreinforced lengthwise of the hinge axis adjacent the hinged edge of the-door by a Z- shaped beam 34 and the front edgeof the door is reinforcedby an angle member "35 having one flange 36 riveted to the frontiflange29 of the door and the adjacent flange 31 of said angle is spacedfrom the door plate 26 and substantiallyin alignment with the flange 33of the hinge beams 30.

-A pair of door extension brackets 38-i38 is disposed in spaced relationon the door '25 to provide brackets for -cooper-ation with dooroperating and supportingmechanisms onthe car structure as will bedescribed. Each bracket 38 is of 'an'gles'haped "formation with walls'39 and '49 secured to the front vertical reinforcement of the door andto the horizontal flanges "33 and 3"! of the door'beams byri-vetsas-indicated at 4| and 4'2 respectively. Beyond the door properthebracket is f0rmed=with a'projecting nose portion including an upperinclined striker .surface 4'3 and a lower seat -14 for cooperation withdoor supporting means. Inwardly of the-seat44 there 'is provided adownwardly extending :abutment which constitutes a positioning stop tolimit 'inward "movement 'o'f 'the door supporting means and-saidabutment is braced relatively to thebody-of the said-bracket 38 by ribs4B.

The door 25 is adapted to be manually lifted to =closed'position "and tofacilitate this operation a socket 41 is secured to the underside'of thedoor for receiving'the "end of a removable lifting bar asindicated at inFigure '3. The -door 25 in its open position 'issupported'by a suitabledoor stop as indicated 'at 49.

The door supporting mechanism includes a bracket 50, Figures 3, l0 and11,hav'ing an upper 'section including angularly related Walls 5| and 52secured to the car "side bottom angle-20 by rivets 53 and extending fromsaid -a-ngularly related "walls is a "wall 54 extending transversely ofthe car in a direction normal to the hinge 'axis of the'door 25. Thewall 54 is provided-with an offset portion as at 55 and is suitably"braced to' the uppersectionby a rib 56. The offset por- 'tion'-55isformed with "an open ended slot 51 "of "inverted "Ushape to provideinner and outer walls indicated'atSB'a-nd 59 respectively and'sa'idwalls :at the outer ends 'of the slot are flared outwardly as'shown at60 and 16l respectively.

'5; Extending laterally from the wall 54 are lugs :52 and T53 forpivotally supporting a swinging "link .64, Figures 12 and 13, 'on pivot'62 and a "locking 'cam on lug 53. Over'lying the 'said link 64 and cam65 is a tie strap 'plate 66 "which riveted in place by rivets Elextending through the' lugs. The swinginglink 6B is of hook shapedformation with an indented central portion 58 and at the lower portionthereof -'it is-apertured at -=69 for receiving a pivot 10 whereby adoor seating lement-TL'Figures 1, 8'and 9, is hinged- "-ly mountedthereon.

The seating element "H preferably includes a 'round shaft 12 having arms13 disposedin spaced relation on the shaft and fixedly mounted thereonto make a rigid structure. At one end of said structure there is anoperating handle 14 having a hub portion 55 secured to the shaft and anopen sided socket portion having walls 78 and '11 for receiving anoperating bar I8 therebetween, Figure 14, whereby the mechanism is op-'era'ted.

'Each pair of arms T3 includes a hub section 19 encircling the shaft 12and secured to the latter by a rivet as indicated at 80 and extendingtherefrom are the arms '13 disposed in spaced relation to provide a pairof jaws which straddle the lower portion of the hook-shaped hanger link64 and through which the securing pivot 10 extends. The structure of theshaft 12 and arms 731311118 constitutes a hinged door supporting elementH which is eccentrically mounted on its associated hanger links 54 andis swingable about its pivotal axis to function as one of the arms of'a'ja'ckaknife typeof toggle mechanism as will be explained. The hubportion 19 of one of the arms is preferably integrally formed :with thehub portion '15 of the operating :handle '14.

The element H in :its swinging movement'is movablefrom a closed'toggleposition as shown -in Figure 2 to an opened position :as shown in Figure3 in which latter position ;it is supported by a lug :82 which forms alimiting 1 stop for engagement with the hub portion 19 of the arm andwhen in such fully opened position the shaft 12 swings in unison withthe hanger links -64,-:the weight of the shaft 12 operating to bias theswinging link structure to the position shown in Figure 3.

The operation of the mechanism may "be best understood by "following outthe sequence :of 'operations involved in the door :closing and openingcycle as follows:

Assuming the door 25 to be in open position-as in Figure -3 with thelocking :cam 65 in riverbalanced released position, and the door seatingelement H gravitated to an open extended position, the operator insertsthe lifting bar '48 inthe socket I! .of the door to lift the latter.

As the door '25 is "lifted toward closed position, the inclined strikersurface 133 contacts the-shaft "12, as shown in Figure 4, swinging theshaft outwardly to clear the door, as'shown in'Figure 5, and, "uponcontinued lifting movement of the door 25, the latch mechanism swingsbeneath it supporting the'latter in partially closed position "as shownin Figure '6. In said partially closed position the shaft '32 is limitedin its inward movement with respect to'the door by reason of "theabutment 45 engaging the shaft T2.

'Shifting of the door 25 from partially closed to fully closed positionis readily effected by a fknuckling movement of the door supporting'element "H in a clockwise direction as viewed in Figure '7, saidknuckling movement of the shaft "12 being effected by means of the barT8 being positioned between the walls 16 and '11 ofthe handle T4 as willbe understood. Continued movement of the mechanism in the indicateddirection moves the circularly shaped shaft [2 in "the open ended slot'51 therebypreventingfurther swinging -movement of the lin'kage andchanging the characteristics of the mechanism from a freely swinginglinkage to a toggle Ifolding mechanism.

It will be observed that the shaft 12, by reason of the limitingabutment 45 on 'the door, is 'maintained'in position to enter betweenthe walls 58 and 59 of the slot "51 and the entrance of the shaft insaid slot is facilitated by the flared entrance as provided by theflared surfaces and 6|.

The folding movement of the toggle mechanism is completed when the axis83, Figure '7, of the shaft 12 extends slightly beyond a dead centerlocking position as indicated by a line 84, Figure 2, joining thepivotal axes of the link 'in the closed position. The door 25 isthusforced to tightly closed position by a comparatively limited turningeffort of the seating element "H and the cam is then swung in the pathof swinging movement of the link 64. The door 25 thus is doubly lockedin a securely closed position. The opening of the door 25 is a reversalof the door closing operation. The operator after first swinging thecams 65 to released-position, inserts the operating bar 18, as shown inFigure 14 between the walls 16 and 17 of the handle 14 and byanti-clockwise movement of the bar swings the door seating element H soas to open the toggle mechanism and move the shaft 12 clear of theslotted opening 5'l to engage with the lugs 82. The shaft 12 and links64 then move in unison thereby allowing the withdrawal of the formerfrom beneath the door 25 by continued anticlockwise movement of theoperating bar 18. The releasing of the door 25 is thus accomplished withsafety and convenience from a position away from the discharging load.

What is claimed as new is:

1. In a dump car having a pivotally mounted door and door supportingmechanism adjacent the swinging edge of said door, said mechanismincluding a pair of swinging links pivotally mounted to swing on axesparallel with the axis of the door and a shaft eccentrically mounted onsaid links to have swinging bodily movement about its axis and assumeeither a folded toggle locked position with respect to the swinginglinks to support the door in fully closed position or move to an openextended position to support the door in partially closed position, saidshaft being supported wholly by said links and when in extended positionbeing freely swingable in unison with the supporting linkage; and meanson the car-structure engaging the shaft for holding the linkage againstswinging consequent upon movement of the shaft toward final lockingposition.

' 2. In a dump car, the combination with a pivotally mounted dump doorof mechanism for supporting the swinging edge of the door; a bracket onthe car and a two-part folding toggle mechanism including a linkpivotally mounted on the bracket and an arm pivotally mounted on thelink, said arm having a shaft rigidly connected thereto, said shaftbeing supported wholly by said folding toggle mechanism with the togglein open extended position lying below the bracket and swingabletherewith to automatically engage with the door to support the latter inpartially closed position, said shaft upon folding movement of thetoggle to closed position operating to raise the door from partiallyclosed to fully closed position; and an open ended slot in the bracketfor receiving the sh-art upon closure of the toggle and therebypreventing swinging movement of the toggle mechanism.

3, In a load containing structure having an opening and a door pivotallymounted at one side of the opening and door supporting mechanismadjacent the swinging edge of the door, said mechanism including abracket secured to the car structure and having a wall in angularrelation to the pivotal axis of the door, toggle acting mechanismpivotally mounted on the wall of the bracket and including a link hangerhaving a section forming a hook-shaped hanger, said hanger being pivotedat its upper end to the wall and having an arm pivoted at one end to thelower portion of the link, said arm at the end opposite to its pivotalaxis having a door seat supported wholly thereby and by said link hangerand ar ranged to assume a toggle closed position in the indented portionof the hanger to support the door in closed position, and an open endedslot in the wall arranged to receive the door seat upon closure of thetoggle and prevent swinging movement of the link.

4. In a load containing structure having an opening and a door pivotallymounted at one side of the opening and door supporting mechanismadjacent the swinging edge of the door, said mechanism including abracket carried by the supporting structure and having a wall disposedat an angle to the pivotal axis of the: door; said wall havingan'inverted U-shaped open-ended slot: folding toggle link mechanismpivotally carried by said wall and including a hook-shaped linkpivotally mounted at one end to the bracket wall above the slot and anarm pivotally mounted at one end to the opposite end of the link andhaving a shaft fixedly mounted to the opposite end of the arm andsupported wholly thereby and by said link, said arm being arranged toknuckle about its pivotal axis'with the link and move to a foldedposition in a toggle closed position in the U-shaped slot and insupporting position beneath the door, said arm being movable to openposition to a levelbelow the transverse wall and free of the U-shapedslot; a projecting abutment on the link engaging with the shaft forminga carrying means for the latter to support the shaft below the level ofthe bracket wall and allow the shaft and its associated link mechanismto swing freely toward and away from the'door.

5. In a dump car, in'combination with a pivotally mounted dump door,the. herein described mechanism for supporting the swinging edge of thedoor including abracket mounted adjacent the swinging edge of the door;folding jack-knife toggle link means pivotally mounted on the bracket toswing toward and away from the door, said link means including aswinging link pivotally mounted at its upper end to the bracket and anarm having one end pivotally mounted to the lower portion'of theswinging link and a shaft fixedly mounted with respect to the arm andlocated at the end of the arm remote from its piv-'- otal axis andsupported wholly thereby and by said link means, said shaft with thetoggle in full open position lying below the bracket and sup ported bythe link and movable in unison there! with, said shaft with the togglearm in open position being biased to assume a latching position in thepath of the door; an inclined striker on the door engaging with theshaft to displace the latter outwardly fro-m its biased position bymovement of the door to bring the-shaft into en gagement with the doorfor supporting the latter in partially closed position, said shaft uponfolding movement of the toggle operating to raise the door frompartially closed to: fully closed position; and guiding means on thebracket for receiving the shaft and restricting its closing movement toa rectilinear path.

6. In a load containing structure having a discharge opening and a doorpivotally mounted at one side of the opening for closing the latter;door mechanism for supporting the door in part- 1y aolosed iand irullyiclosedposition and moving the door fromssa-id :partly closed to fullyclosed :position .by operation lQf the mechanism, said supportingmechanism including a bracket carried by .the structure and formed witha depending wall extending in a direction normal to the gpivotaliaxis ofthe vdoor, said wall having an open ended slot; a :link pivotallymounted at :one end tothe wall .of the bracket above :the .slot, and :anarm :having one end thereof pivotally mounted on :the pppositeend of thelink, said arm at the end opposite zits :pivotal axis having a shaftfixedly mounted thereon and supported wholly thereby and by said link,said arm .being'arranged to knuckle about its pivotal axis and assume aclosed toggle position intermediate the axes of the link for supportingthe door in closedposition with the shaft received and held in theslot,said shaft .upon opening movement of the toggle being bodily movable toa position below theilevel of the bracket; and a stop on the linkengaging the shaft to limit opening movement of the toggle mechanismand'form a supporting means for the :shaft, said shaft in its lowermostposition being :freely'swingable with the link and biased to liein thepath of movement of the door; an inclinedistrikerfaceon the doordisposed to contactlthe shaft .upon lifting movement 'of the former anddisplace :the latter outwardly to clear the door and allow said shaft togravitate into sup- 1 portingpositionbeneath the door to support thesame .in ipartly closed position, said mechanism upon 'sfolding of thetoggle from open to closed position operatingto move the door frompartial- 1y closed to fully closed position.

1'7. .zlnfazdump car having an opening and a pivotally tmoun'teddischarge door for closing the opening; door supporting and operatingmechani'smaadj-acentthe swinging edge of the door, including swinginglinkage pivoted adjacent its upper end to the car and having a bodilymovable-doorsupporting element hinged to the lower portion-of the linkandsupported wholl-y thereby, said element being arranged .to knuckleabout its rhinge :axis :to assume either a toggle locked position forsupporting the door in .fully closed position or retained in an openposition to swing .with the linkage and form therewith a swinging latchbiased :to automatically engage with .the dooriand'support the latter inpreliminary partly rclosed position; a seat on the doorengaging withtheilatch'element; and an abutment-on the door'adjacentthe seat forlimitinginward swing-- ing'movementzof the latching mechanism.

58. :In asdump car having adischarge opening and 1apivotally'mounteddischarge door fore'losing the opening; door supportingand operating mechanism adjacent the swinging edge of the .doorincluding-swinging linkage pivoted adjacent its :upper :end to the .carstructure .and having a movable door supporting element hingedtod-heflower portion of the linkage and supported wholly fthereby, isaidelement being arranged to knuckle about its hinge axis .to assume eithera ill) togglerclosedgposition for supporting the :door in fully closedposition or gravitatejto an opengposition to swing freely with thelinkage upon melease-of the-togglezclosureand operate as alatch toautomatically engage with the door upon closing movement of the latter;means :having an opening :on the car forireceiving the. latchelementzupon closure of the'toggle and restraining movement of saidelement to a substantially rectilinear path; and an abutment on the'doorarranged to.limit:inwardmovementzof the swinging latch element andposition the latterin line with the openingon the car.

9. Ina 'dump icar having a discharge opening and a .door for closing theopening ,pivotally mounted adj aoent one edge .of the opening; means forsupporting thezswinging edge of the doorineluding a. bracket on the carstructure having a wall extending .in a plane normal to the 'hinge axisof the door and linkage mounted adjacent its upperend on said wall toswing towardand away from the door and a door supportelement hinged tothe lower portion of the linkage :and supported whollythereby andmovable to a togglo closed position for supporting the door .in closedposition; means providing an open ended opening in the wall forreceiving thedoorelement when in toggle closed position and preventingswinging movement .of the linkage; and additional locking meanspivotally mounted -.on the bracket wall to swing .in the path ofmovement of :the linkage and thereby lock the entiremechanism.

l0. Ina car doormechanism for supporting the swinging edge'of .apivotally mounted discharge door and includingiaibracket beyond theswinging edge of the door and having .a wall extending in a planenormal'to the hinge axis of the door, 'said wall havingan invertedlJ-shaped opening and a hook-shaped link pivotally mounted above theopening and formed with an intermediate indented portion positionedtoalign with the'opening in the wall; a door seating element hinged tothe lower portion of the link and supported wholly thereby and arrangedto knuckle about its pivotalaxis and enter the U-shaped opening and theindented portion of the linklin toggle locked relation withsaidlink;said door seating element being movable to open position beyond theopeningand swing with the link in 'themanner of a latch; an abutment onthe link for holding thelatch element at .a given degree of opening; andsupplementary means for locking the mechanism in toggle locked relationincluding a latching dog rpivotally mounted on the wall to move in thepath of swinging movement of the link.

GEORGE E. DOREY.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED .S'I'ATES PATENTSNumber Name Date 13535111 'Dorey .Apr. 28, .1925 2,502,833 Dorey Apr.1950

